The Drummer and Her Bassist
by sara haruko takenouchi kamiya
Summary: Ritsu and Mio have always been best friends, but when one bears more feelings than the other, that friendship will be put to test. This is the story of the drummer and her bassist overcoming hardship and face the world's cruelty to be together. Ritsu/Mio
1. That's the Mio I love!

My computer keeps shutting down on me, randomly. So I send it to the repair shop, and they tell me that it can take a week to replace the computer fan and the CPU. Thank God it's still on my warranty so I won't need to pay extra to replace them. Hardware's going to be okay, so thank god on that one as well cause I didn't back up any files before I hand them over my baby. So until then I have to settle with my sister's old laptop. Anyway, what bad timing cause I am currently in a writing mood, and what do you know all the other fanfic that I was working on was on my computer. So until I get my computer back we just have to settle with this short piece. Anyway on to the topic, this is my first attempt on a K-ON fanfic, I hope you all enjoy it.

**Disclaimer: **K-ON belong to Kakifly and Kyoto Animation

**The Drummer and Her Bassist**

**Chapter 1 – That's the Mio I love**

Ritsu is Mio's best friend. There is no doubt about it, people can tell from just looking how good they're getting along. Sure there have been some arguments and pains inflicted from one to another, but no matter how bad it can be the friendship is still there. But that's not what's important right now, Mio is in a bit of a pinch. Her parents are out of town for a day, and one of the worse things for being an only child, you're left home alone. On the up side, for having a best friend since childhood can also be someone to rely on. Today, Akiyama Mio will test that loyalty when she approached to her best friend Tainaka Ritsu.

It's 5 o'clock in the afternoon at Sakuragaoka High, most students by this time should be leaving home. But to the girls who take after school cub activities stay behind, this include the light music club. Practice session was just over, and the girls are packing up their equipment along with the used tea sets of the day. During the end of the day moment, Mio decide to pop the question.

"Hey Ritsu, what are you doing after this?" she asked.

"Huh?" she turned towards Mio. "Nothing I guess, why you asked?"

"I was... wondering... if you would like... to... come... and sleep over," she said getting quieter with every word she make. Ritsu is finding difficult to hear what Mio is trying to tell her.

"What?" she asked feeling confused.

"Come over and sleep over at my house..." she repeated again feeling embarrassed and in an even quieter tone.

"Huh?" Ritsu asked with a dumb smug.

"Come and sleep over at my house!!" Mio lost her cool after seeing that stupid smug Ritsu plastered all over her face. The sudden shriek from the usual quiet girl give Ritsu a step back, along with the other light music club members.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scream," she apologized after realizing her outburst. The girls begin to calm down and regain their composure once they see the embarrassed blush on Mio's face.

"You want me to sleep over?" Ritsu asked back to the topic. "What for?" Ritsu knows Mio well, and one thing she knows for sure is that Mio never asked her to come and sleep over. With high school coming to an end soon and college to prepare, Mio just can't waste time to mess around with Ritsu anymore.

"My parents are out of town for a relative's wedding," she replied. "And I was wondering if you can accompany me for tonight." Ritsu stared at her old friend blankly, she then turned towards the other band members, they're all watching their conversation intently. Mugi has that shining look on her face with a sleazy-looking grin, she's obviously is thinking something kinky.

"Really?" Ritsu turned back to Mio. That tone on her voice doesn't sound like excitement, it sounded more like sarcasm. "What happen to 'I can't mess around with you anymore Ritsu, I have to work on our new song'?" Ritsu is trying her best to mimic Mio's voice, though she seem to add a hint of arrogance tone in it. "Or 'not now Ritsu I'm busy, I don't want you to bother me right now'?"

Mio at first look shocked, and then she appeared guilty. She turned her eyes away from Ritsu, the music room floor seems like it took her interest. The other members of the Light Music club looked a Ritsu, it didn't seem like her to treat Mio like that. In fact, they've never seen Ritsu talked to Mio with that tone. But Mio knew what Ritsu is talking about, she can't blame her to be angry. After all they can't remember when the last time the two hang out just like the old times.

"Ricchan," Yui decide to step in. "That's not a nice thing to say to Mio-chan."

"Yeah Ritsu-senpai, that does sound pretty mean," Azusa joined with her fellow guitarist.

"You want to hear what's mean?" Ritsu turned to her fellow members. "My own best friend won't even make the time, not even a measly thirty minutes, to go with me to check out the new cake shop downtown."

"There's a new cake shop downtown?" Yui chirped up upon hearing the word associated with sweet. Azusa turned towards her senior with a discomfort look on her face, Yui picked up the signal and focus more to what Ritsu just said.

"But Ricchan," she said. "Mio-chan is always busy, you're as her friend should know and understand about that." Though she can be ignorant and slow at times, Yui has an amazing sense of focus. Ritsu sighed and look over to Mio, she doesn't seem to be trying to defend herself. What Ritsu must have impacted her worse than any can predict.

"I do understand, but it's just that…"

"And now Mio-chan is going to be home alone," Yui interrupted again. "She can stay alone and do her work by herself. But instead she asks you to come over and accompany her for the night. She didn't ask me or Azu-nyan or Mugi-chan, she asks you." Ritsu stared at Yui, a disbelieved look is pasted on her face. She then turned to Mio, who is now zipping in her bass into the case.

"If you ask me, I think Mio-chan wants to use this time specifically to be with you," Mugi smiled while expressing her opinion. "Maybe to pay for lost time." Ritsu never really thought of that, she turned to Mio who is already going for the door. Ritsu hasn't even answer Mio's question.

"Mio wait!" she called approaching to her. "I'll sleep over." Mio faced away from the door and smiled to her, small but sincere.

"Thanks," she answered after a while.

"You know it's hard for me to say no to you," Ritsu scratched her head while giggling sheepishly. Mio shrugged and just looked back to her friend again, she really can rely on her.

"See isn't that better?" Yui smiled. "Ah! I just remember!" She quickly slipped her guitar over her shoulder and bolt right through the door without a second thought. "Bye guys, I'm going to go find Nodoka-chan at the student council and then we'll go and find that cake shop Ricchan just mentioned." Not a minute go by, and Yui still can't stop thinking about sweets. Her impression left a funny look from her fellow band members.

"Anyway, I guess I'll go home first and grab some of my stuff," Ritsu said to Mio. She's about to leave when Mugi unsuspectingly stopped Ritsu by grabbing her shoulder.

"If I may suggest," Mugi said facing both Mio and Ritsu vice-versa. "You guys should go to Ricchan's home first and then to Mio-chan's place together." The two friends looked at each other, questions marks are hovering on their head.

"You think so?" Ritsu asked. "Why?"

"Well I think it would be best if Mio-chan explain to Ricchan's parents personally why Ricchan is sleeping over on a school night," Mugi explained her theory. Ritsu raised her eyebrow impressed by the deduction, she shrugged approving of the thought. Mio probably agreed too given the circumstances Mugi just pointed out.

"Want to walk home together Azusa-chan?" Mugi asked to her younger friend.

"Eh? With me?" Azusa stared. "Sure, why not." Azusa grabbed her guitar case and walked right out of the door bidding farewell to her seniors. Mugi followed Azusa out of the room afterwards not long after grabbing her bag, she give the two friends a final wink before leaving off. Both Ritsu and Mio find Mugi a bit odd and mysterious from that day on.

After locking up the music room, the two friends walked their path towards Ritsu's home as suggested by Mugi. The trip to the home is a quiet one and not many conversations are thrown around from now and then. Usually the two friends would talk random things ranging from music to recent headline news. But after the awkward conversation trailing in the music room earlier that day, it's hard to act normal afterwards. Eventually, they've finally arrived at Ritsu's home, that trip must have been the quietest trip the two ever did.

"Well, we're here," Ritsu said breaking the silence. Mio nodded lightly, the two then enter the home with Ritsu's spare key.

"I'm home!" Ritsu called out loud inside. She checked the shoe rack and notice that her brother and mother are home.

"Welcome home!" Ritsu's mother called from the living room.

"Hi nee-chan," Ritsu's brother monotone reply followed along. Judging from the sound of both voices, Ritsu can guess that both of her family members are in the same room. Ritsu waste no time and enter the living room with her friend in tow.

"Mom, Mio's here and there's something we need to ask you?" Ritsu asked her straight to the point.

"Hi Mio-chan," Mrs. Tainaka smiled to the familiar girl. "And whatever it is, the answer's no." She said it bluntly to her daughter.

"What?" Ritsu asked taken back. "You don't even know what I was going to ask you!"

"It's either a late night concert, or something to do with you and Mio-chan going out late isn't it?" Ritsu's mom takes her eyes off the tube to face the two girls.

"Not really but sort of," Ritsu shrugged embarrassingly. Mio stood there fiddling with her fingers innocently still not saying anything.

"Actually," Mio spoke this time. "I was wondering if Ritsu can spend over at my home just for tonight." This is definitely a first for Mio to request of permission in regard for Ritsu directly to Ritsu's parents. Most of the time Ritsu asked her parents directly, and it's common for a rejection because it's her parents. But if a guest who requested, that's a different story.

"Really?" Mrs. Tainaka asked raising an eyebrow of suspicion. "Did you put her up to this?" Ritsu's mom asked her daughter again.

"Ugh! Mom!" Ritsu looked away disgusted. "Of course not! How dare you! Can we have one conversation without you accusing me of something bad? I thought you would've trust me after seventeen years of parenting."

"Well I trusted you for the first thirteen years, until you've been corrupted with today's society the next four years," Mrs. Tainaka exclaimed with confidence. Ritsu rolled her eyes irritatingly, her brother looked away from his magazine to examine the mother-daughter quarrel.

"She didn't Mrs. Tainaka," Mio defend her friend. "I actually propose of this myself." Mrs. Tainaka never believes Ritsu right away after hours of nagging, but if Mio who said it, she believed her straight away with no questions asked.

"Really?" Mrs. Tainaka asked her with an honest tone. "Why Mio-chan? It's a school night, and wouldn't your parents mind?"

"Hey, I'm not a handful or anything!" Ritsu objected to that.

"Hush dear!"

"Actually, my parents are out of town for the day," Mio explained. "And they wouldn't mind if I have someone to accompany me for the night." Mrs. Tainaka stopped staring at the girls and looked away to stare at the ceiling; Ritsu knows that's a move that her mother usually make when she's in thought.

"So can I?" Ritsu asked impatiently.

"Well it's kind of hard to say no to Mio-chan," Mrs. Tainaka mumbled. Ritsu took a nod on that. "If it's for just one night, I guess I can let that slide." Ritsu nodded on with excitement, Mio's face is also beaming. "But you girls are not going to go out drinking or anything are you?"

"Mom!" Satoshi called out suddenly. "You know that nee-chan and Mio nee-chan are not like that!"

"I know, I know," Mrs. Tainaka faced the TV again. "I was just kidding. Just don't sleep too late okay."

"Yatta!!" Ritsu grabbed Mio suddenly. "Thanks Mom! Let's go Mio!" With no further due, or before Ritsu's mom changed her mind, Ritsu ran up to her room upstairs with Mio on hand.

"Thank you Mrs. Tainaka," Mio managed to thank her before Ritsu dragged her out of the living room. Ritsu's mom waved them lazily before sighing.

"Satoshi," Ritsu's mom called out to her other child. "Do you think I made the right decision?" Satoshi just shrugged as a response, but he also try his luck.

"Can I sleep over..."

"No!"

Ritsu doesn't need to pack much; she just filled her backpack with clothes and a few electronic goods. Once she finished packing, she just bolted out of her home with a quick goodbye to her mother and brother. The walk to Mio's home is more joyful compared to Ritsu's, now that the silence is broken more laughter and fun conversations are pitched in. Ritsu is the usual lovable loud girl, but Mio is not as her usual self. While Ritsu throws in the usual talk that would usually irritate Mio, she's not responding as hard as she used to.

"Mio, what's wrong?" Ritsu asked noticing how quiet she is. "You're not criticising me or saying something about those stupid things I've just said."

"Hmm..." Mio turned towards Ritsu. "Oh I just don't think they're... stupid. That's all." Ritsu knows well when Mio is lying, she can spot it immediately.

"What's bothering you?" she asked. "You're not usually this quiet." Mio looked over to Ritsu, her eyes looked serious and show some concern to her.

"It's about what you said, in the music room," she said softly. "You were right."

"Oh," Ritsu looked shocked. "That. I guess I did go overboard there. I'm sorry."

"No," Mio said looking back at her. "Don't apologize. You were right; I was too caught up with many things and have been pushing you away lately."

"Is that why you didn't say anything when I said all those mean things back in the music room?"

"I was actually going to have a say on that," said Mio. "But then I stopped when I see how upset you are because of me." Noticing that look on Mio's eyes, Ritsu looked away refusing to look into those sad forgiving eyes.

"I didn't mean to make you feel guilty," said Ritsu. "That's the last thing I've ever wanted to do to you."

"But you were right," Mio said pulling Ritsu's shoulder so she would face her. "You have every right to be mad at me, and for that I'm sor..."

"Stop!" Ritsu covered Mio's mouth with her free hands. "There's nothing for you to apologise. Don't say sorry if you didn't do anything wrong." Mio moved Ritsu's hands still wanting to apologize for making her friend feel unwanted. But Ritsu's quick enough to move her hands back to Mio's mouth. Mio moved her hands again, and again the process is repeated. Soon enough the actions were keep repeating and repeating with faster movements and a lot of body moving that looked quite silly.

"Ritsu stop!" Mio raised her voice little bit. "Knock it off! This isn't funny!"

"Don't say you're sorry!" Ritsu tried to hold to Mio's mouth. "Don't say you're sorry! Don't say you're sorry! Don't say you're sorry!"

"Ritsu!!" Mio wrestled with Ritsu's hands trying to push them off her face. "You're starting to piss me off!"

"Don't say you're sorry! Don't say you're sorry! Don't say you're sorry! Don't say you're sorry! Don't say you're sorry!"

"Ritsu! You're **really** starting to piss me off!"

"Don't say you're sorry! Don't say you're sorry! Don't say you're sor..."

"RITSU! SHUT UP!!" The constant jabbering and annoying hand movement is too much for Mio to bear. Acting upon impulse, and as ten years of knocking Ritsu out, Mio lost her patience and land a big smack to Ritsu's head. A big swelling immediately appeared on Ritsu's head, the poor girl grabbed her head in pain.

"Owww..." Ritsu groaned. "Mio, that hurts."

"Yeah?" Mio relaxed. "Well you deserved it. I told you to stop." Seeing Ritsu withered in pain is never a pretty sight, Mio felt that maybe she hit her a little too hard. But to her surprise, Ritsu stops her whimper and begin to laugh. Mio couldn't see what appears to be funny over a bruised head, but whatever it is that laugh of her is contagious.

"I'm glad you're smiling now Mio," Ritsu smiled releasing her injured head. Mio, realising herself is laughing, closed her mouth and looked away embarrassingly. Ritsu took a note of that blush and released her arms all over Mio's shoulder, clinging onto her affectionately. "That's the Mio I love!"

"Watch what you said!" Mio scolded Ritsu while hiding her blushed cheeks. "And let me go! You're heavy!"

"No! Make me!"

"You asked for it!" Mio clenching her hand to a fist. Ritsu immediately released her laughing uncontrollably while pointing at her friend accusingly.

"You're funny Mio," Ritsu wiped a tear away from her eyes. "Come on! Let's go to your place."

Mio looked over to her smiling friend; she smiled back and walked with her side by side towards her home. It's as she predicted, best friends are always there for you. Whenever you need someone to accompany you for a night, or to make you laugh and brighten up your spirit. She knows that she can always leave it to her best friend to make her day a little better.

* * *

HMMM... NOTHING SERIOUS YET, FOR NOW IT'S JUST SOME FRIENDSHIP THING. WELL THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO WRITE K-ON, SO FORGIVE ME IF IT'S KIND OF CRAP. ANYWAY, THANKS FOR READING AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO REVIEW OR SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT. NEXT CHAPTER, WILL BE TAKING PLACE DURING THE SLEEPOVER AT MIO'S HOME. SO LOOK FORWARD TO IT SOON! THANKS GUYS!


	2. Thanks for accompanying me tonight

I don't know if Mio sleep in a bed or a futon, but based on the episode when we see a quick glimpse of Mio's room, I saw a tatami matted area so I'm guessing she sleeps in a futon.

Edit: Just re-read the manga and found out that Mio's room has a bed (that Ritsu use for a quick nap) in chapter 19 of the manga. I wonder why they didn't put that bed in the anime. And I also wonder why the tatami area is not in the manga either. Argh! I don't know which one to base on, the manga or the anime. Come to think of it, manga didn't show Ritsu's brother, but the anime did. So who to believe, Kyoto Animation or Kakifly?

**Disclaimer: **K-ON belong to Kakifly and Kyoto Animation

**The Drummer and Her Bassist**

**Chapter 2**** – Thanks for accompanying me tonight**

"Honey, I'm home," Ritsu's first words erupted as she entered Mio's empty home. She immediately received a slap on the back of her head from the constant blushing Mio, who obviously finds the greeting to be rather embarrassing.

"Don't act like as if we're living together," Mio scolded her. Ritsu laughed quietly as she took her shoes off, the flustered look on Mio's face is worth every punch/slap she got from her old-time friend.

"Technically, we are living together for tonight," Ritsu added trying to increase the red colour on Mio's cheeks. Much to her dismay, the only thing that's increasing is Mio's fury.

"Do you want me to hit you again?" Mio threatened her with a raised up fist. Ritsu put her hands up in defensive pose ready to cover Mio's strike, but it looks like Mio just couldn't be bother to hit her friend for the third time of the day. "Come on, bring your stuff up in my room."

"You're so violent," Ritsu followed Mio up the stairs and into her room. "I'm going to feel so sorry for your future husband." Mio was taken by surprise from Ritsu's remark; she almost slipped from the staircase. Luckily she used the walls to support her weight before it's too late.

"Watch what you said!" she scolded Ritsu again. "Geez! Stupid Ritsu!" It may be a short moment when Mio whipped her head to Ritsu for a quick scolding, but it was long enough for Ritsu to catch Mio blushing again. It's always a treat for Ritsu.

The two friends finally entered to Mio's room where Ritsu tossed her backpack and her school bag by the corner, once she did that she flopped herself on Mio's tidied up bed. "Ahhh... you bed is so soft," she cooed in delight. "I'm going to enjoy sleeping in here tonight."

"Get up, Ritsu!" Mio told her best friend off. "I just tidied that up this morning. And you're not sleeping there." Ritsu lazily rolled herself off from Mio's comfortable bed looking at her with that fake baby-face of hers.

"Why?" she whined. "We sleep in that bed together all the time."

"Back when we were kids! Mind you!" Mio retorted back. "We're a bit too old to sleep in a same bed. Besides, the bed is too small for the two of us."

"I guess," Ritsu shrugged agreeing with her friend. "I do kick in my sleep." Ritsu laughed at her own joke, Mio can't help but to laughed along with her. It's a nice change when the two are smiling together rather than one tease while the other hit.

"And I do clutch to things in my sleep," Mio embarrassingly admitted. Ritsu laughed her heart out remembering of Mio's bad sleeping habit, she had a memento of that moment, but Mio forcefully took it of her possession. Ritsu continued to roll herself around on Mio's bed, while Mio gently placed her beloved bass guitar by the stand letting it to rest after being stuffed in a bag for so long.

"Well this is boring!" Ritsu stood up and yelled out suddenly, resulting Mio almost knocking over her 'Elizabeth'. "Hey, let's go to that new cake shop!" Ritsu suggested. "If we go now, we might run into Yui and Nodoka."

"I'd rather not," Mio replied fixing the balance on her instrument stand. "Besides, I have a few things to do."

"A few or lot?" Ritsu asked sarcastically to Mio's reply. Mio just rolled her eyes groaning to her friend's complaint. "Come on, Mio! Don't tell me you're still going to work, even after you invite me to sleep over at your house."

"First of all, it's a school night," Mio shot back to Ritsu. "Not a weekend. Now, just because I invited you, it doesn't mean I have to stop doing my work." Remembering Yui's words earlier on the day, Ritsu thought that maybe she's asking too much from Mio. She is that busy girl who's trying hard to make time for her friend and also to keep her hard work ethic.

"Ok, I get it," she sighed. "I'm sorry. I'll try not to get in your way."

"Thanks," Mio pulled up a smile. As glad as she is that Ritsu understand her wish, Mio felt the same guilt as she had a while ago for pushing Ritsu away again.

"Anyway," Ritsu stood up from Mio's bed. "Can I use your shower? Or do you want to go first?" Mio just nodded along signaling her to go ahead. Ritsu grabbed her backpack and left for her quick bath.

"Don't overuse my shampoo!" Mio warned her.

While Ritsu's off taking advantage of Mio's free water along with her toiletries, Mio is already drowning herself to her work, fully equipped with the laptop on and IPod for easy listening. Minutes passed by, and Mio had not noticed that Ritsu's gone for a good fifteen minutes soaking herself with the Akiyama's water supply. Normally Mio would tell on her friend not to overuse the water, but she couldn't be bother; she's too engrossed in her work to bother with whatever else that's happening. This include the unfamiliar brunette character entering Mio's room. Mio looked through the corner of her eye catching the figure came in dressed in a track pants and a t-shirt. She paid no attention guessing that it must be Ritsu finishing from her shower. But when that character came in close-range to Mio, she then noticed that look is nowhere near to her best friend.

"KYAAAA!!"

"AGHHH!!"

Mio backed away from the mysterious person as far as she can, grabbing a nearby ballpoint pen thinking of it as a weapon to defend herself from this unfamiliar looking character. This new character however showed no sign of struggle or giving off a threatening aura.

"Mio, what's the matter with you?" the new character spoke in a familiar voice. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Eh?" Mio calmed down a little once hearing that voice. "Ritsu?" she asked behind tears. Strange as it may appear, this character has the same voice as Ritsu, but it did not looked like Ritsu at all.

"Well yeah who else?" the same rough matter of speech spoken sounded exactly like Ritsu. To find out if her hunch is correct, Mio gathered her courage and walked closer to this new person, still armed with that ballpoint pen. She studied the facial look ignoring the messy auburn hair that tried to hide the face. Seconds later she tossed the pen away giving off an embarrassing mixed in with a hint of angry expression.

"Oh my God! Ritsu! **You** scared the hell out of me!" Now it's Mio's turn to express her anger.

"Hey, you screamed first!" Ritsu pointed out. "Why did you scream anyway?"

"Well how am I supposed to know that it was you who crept on me?" Mio asked still looking at her with a look of discomfort. "You look so different with your bangs down."

"What?" Ritsu asked scratching her hair. "You've never seen me with my bangs down?"

"No," she said softly. Awkward enough as it is, Mio had never seen Ritsu let her hair down naturally. There may be time where she actually did, but Mio recognize it straight off the bat. This was the first time where Ritsu changed little of her appearance that Mio actually mistook her as a different person.

"Well you're not the first I guess," Ritsu sighed not taking it in as a big deal. "My brother saw me in the bathroom once with my bangs down and he did not recognize me at all. Do I really look that different?"

"Well yeah," Mio nodded. "I mean you got me fooled. I thought you were some guy who…"

"Some guy?" Ritsu interrupted her with a disapproved face. "You thought I was a guy?"

"Well no offense or anything, but you looked so different, I thought you were someone else," Mio re-corrected her words. Ritsu rolled her eyes and looked away feeling upset to be mistaken as an opposite gender. She knew that she's a bit of a tomboy due to her rough manners and speech, but she never for once ever was mistaken as a man.

"But a guy?" Ritsu asked sarcastically. "Thanks." Ritsu looked away from Mio feeling a bit upset for the mistaken gender issue. She randomly grabbed one of Mio's manga and sulk in the corner not wanting to face Mio right now. Mio initially felt guilty, but watching Ritsu feeling sensitive of her appearance made her giggle instead. "What's so funny?" Ritsu mumbled at the corner of Mio's room.

"I didn't know you're sensitive over this," Mio replied to Ritsu's question. "It's kind of cute." Ritsu whipped her head around to Mio instantly, stunned to have their character personality turned around. Mio also shut her mouth, shock to say such embarrassing thing to her best friend.

"Did you just say I'm cute?" Ritsu asked.

"No!" she immediately answered.

"Yeah, you did," Ritsu exclaimed feeling ecstatic about this. She crawled her way to Mio, lunging herself on her back in a similar way Yui did to Azusa. "Come on, Mio-chan! Tease me more, call me cute again!"

"No! Let me go!" Mio insisted trying to push Ritsu's head off her back. Though looking at her messy hair just kept reminding her how different she looked. It's almost like it's another person who's clinging on her, but with the same attitude and annoying voice of Ritsu.

"Say some more naughty embarrassing things about me!" Ritsu laughed her heads off. She then performed the ultimate attack. Ritsu grabbed Mio's face and pulled it close to hers, just inches away from touching their foreheads together. "Come on Mio-chan! Say it! Say how pretty I am. If you do, I might consider giving you my virg…"

Ritsu didn't have the chance to finish her sentence, or it's more like she was interrupted by the sudden wrath of the black-haired devil. The poor girl clutched her head in pain while her attacker looked away with a rather pissed off expression.

"Too far, Ritsu!" Mio scolded her. "That was too far!"

"I'm sorry," Ritsu managed to croak out. Mio sighed and looked down at Ritsu's trembling body, but her gaze is brought to Ritsu's hairstyle instead. Mio still couldn't get over the fact how different Ritsu looked, she didn't look like Ritsu at all and it sort of interest her.

"It's ok," Mio assured. "Just don't joke about that ever again." Ritsu turned herself over to her old friend while still clutching her head, brushing some loose hair away from her face. That different image of Ritsu is really begun to bother Mio in an awkward way. She turned away finding herself blushing at Ritsu and her shaggy hairstyle.

"I really am sorry, Mio," Ritsu apologized again trying to sound more sincere. "It's just that when you said I was cute, it made me really happy." Mio turned back to Ritsu wondering of her observation. "No one ever called me cute," she continued. "It's always cool, energetic, tomboy. You know, those stuff."

It's true what she said, with attitude like that, it's no brainer that people hardly see Ritsu as a lady. Whether her outer persona may the case be, that's because not many people have known Ritsu's real personality. But Mio have known her for all her life, and she knew that Ritsu can be a proper girl if she tried. Mio grabbed a hair band from her desk and bend over to her friend, smiling warmly to her.

"Well if you ask me, I think you're very cute," Mio rolled Ritsu's bangs up over her head tying them up with the hair band. Ritsu smiled back to Mio's kind words, she never thought that Mio would have the courage to say stuff like that without looking embarrassed. And Ritsu will do well by not making any remarks that would ruin this moment, or make Mio blushing like madness.

"Thanks," Ritsu said playing with her tied-up hair. Mio got up on her knees, feeling satisfied to herself that Ritsu's in better mood.

"I'm going to take a shower now," she said to Ritsu. "Go read a manga or something. Better yet, go do your homework."

"Here's a thought. Why don't you do yours, and I'll just copy of you," Ritsu suggested with that innocent cat smile. As a response to that awful suggestion, Mio poked Ritsu's forehead sighing to the usual fact that some things never change. "I was just kidding," Ritsu rubbed her temple frustratingly.

Minutes later after Mio left for her bath, Ritsu didn't even bother to take her school books out from the bag. And she didn't return Mio's manga or read them either. She's actually off in Mio's already turned on laptop browsing over through her personal documents trying to find any dirt out of her. So far it didn't go too well since there were nothing she could use as a blackmail subjects. No embarrassing photos, no diary entries and no history search site on any pornographic websites.

"Man, this sucks," Ritsu muttered closing down Mio's laptop. "She's too clean."

"Who's too clean?"

"Oh God! Don't do that!" Ritsu jumped off Mio's chair, shocked from Mio's sudden presence.

"Now you know how I feel," Mio replied still scrubbing her long black hair with the white towel. "What were you doing? You didn't go on my laptop did you?"

"I did, and relax," Ritsu grabbed her yellow headband from Mio's hand, in which she brought it back from the bathroom. "I didn't find anything dirty in there."

"Why would there be?" Mio asked looking offended.

"I don't know," Ritsu shrugged. "I thought you would have something I can blackmail you with." Mio sighed and sat down on her chair, ready to continue where she left off before she was rudely interrupted/scared by Ritsu.

"Go do your homework," Mio reminded Ritsu.

"It's not due till next week," Ritsu groaned stretching her lazy body on Mio's tatami area. Watching Ritsu lazing around like a baby is always a frustration to Mio. At first she seems harmless, but the next thing she know Ritsu will either play with Mio's hair or making a mess.

"Then go read a manga or something," Mio said coming up with a solution. "You promised that you won't bother me."

"Oh yeah, I did huh," Ritsu remembered her promise. "Ok, fine then. Just pretend I'm not here." Ritsu grabbed the manga she was reading and looked back at the pretty pictures resuming her reading. Mio nodded feeling thankful that Ritsu understand her wish, she can finally finish her work in peace.

Hours have passed by and nothing much have changed within the Akiyama residence. Mio is still doing work on her desk with her IPod on blocking the noise Ritsu made now and then. Though not intentional, it still bothered her. Ritsu on the other hand, is bored out of her mind. Now and then she would turn on and turn off Mio's TV, tapping Mio's tea table as if they're her drum set, or just plainly rolling around Mio's tatami causing noise from here and there. She needed something to do, she read all of Mio's manga several times already from her previous visits. And she really couldn't be bother to do her homework. She wanted to play with Mio's long hair, but she did promise that she wouldn't bother her. Ritsu needed to leave the room, she can't take it anymore. She got up and left Mio's room without even saying anything to her. Though as it looked, Mio didn't even hear her left the room anyway.

A few more minutes have passed by and Mio have finally finished her task. She put her pen down and stretched her sore body up. That's when she noticed the clock on her wall, the time pointed out that it's close to eight o'clock.

"Ah! It's so late," she said to herself. "Ritsu! What do you feel like for dinner?" Mio turned around expecting for Ritsu to be at least either napping or playing her handheld game. But to her surprise, she's not even in her room. "Eh? Ritsu?" Mio looked around aimlessly, she's really not in her room. Mio got off from her chair and left her room calling her name out loud through the hallway, but still no response from the loud auburn haired girl. She tried the bathroom knocking in couple of times, but the door is unlocked and no one is inside. Mio is starting to feel uneasy, this is one of the reason why she hated being alone in a big home around night time. She couldn't tell if there's somebody at her home or not.

"Ritsu! Are you downstairs?" Mio tried calling from the staircase.

"Down here, Mio," her voice is soft but enough for Mio to know she's still in the house. Mio let out a breath of relief knowing that she's at least not at her home alone.

"Where are you?" Mio called out climbing down the staircase.

"Over here by the dining table," Mio heard her reply. Mio followed Ritsu's voice and entered through her living room where the dining table is also set by. She is surprised to find her sitting down on the dining table, but what's more surprising was the foods that were set on the dining table.

"There you are," Ritsu smiled. "Come on, let's have dinner." Mio took a double check. She rubbed her eyes just to be sure that she's not imagining or seeing things. Her eyes weren't playing tricks on her for sure, cause no matter how many times Mio repeated the process, Ritsu is still there along with the food. "What are you doing, Mio? Come on, let's eat."

Mio in the end gave up and sat down on one of the chair looking at the food that was magically prepared by the table. She looked over at Ritsu who is grinning to the max. "Did you make this?" Mio just had to ask.

"What?" Ritsu asked. "You saying I can't?"

"Well, it's just that it's very unlikely of you to do something like this," Mio couldn't get her eyes off the food laid down the dining table. They looked to delicious and too good to be true.

"Yeah, you think so too?" Ritsu asked. "Come on, Mio. Give me a little credit will you. Here…" Ritsu picked up her chopsticks and scooped up a piece of sardines from her plate. "Try it. Open wide and say Ahh…"

"I can feed myself!!" Mio rejected Ritsu's offer. She picked up a piece of sardine from her plate and slowly put it in her mouth. Mio chew thoroughly tasting every bit of the dish in her mouth. Ritsu kept a close look on Mio watching her mouth move around, she patiently waited for her reaction.

"Oh wow," Mio said swallowing her food. "This is delicious." That was the reaction Ritsu had been waiting for, her face lit up in excitement. And Mio is surprised herself that Ritsu can cook this delicious. She can't stop herself but to pick up more of Ritsu's cooked dinner.

"Wait!" Ritsu stopped Mio's hands. "Itadakimasu."

"Ah! Itadakimasu."

During the whole dinner, it was mostly all silent and hardly any talk. Both girls are just too focused on eating and enjoying every bite of their meal, though Ritsu sometimes glanced at Mio wanting to see her enjoying her food.

"Do you like it?" Ritsu asked Mio in the middle of her meal. Mio stopped when Ritsu popped in a question during their easting session.

"Yeah, I told you. It's delicious," Mio smiled. Ritsu's face lit up again, she grinned ecstatically.

"Sorry for using your kitchen and ingredients without permission," Ritsu apologized. "I was just so hungry."

"Oh Ritsu. With food like this, I'll forgive you for anything." Mio just couldn't be bothered to get angry or scold Ritsu anymore, she's too busy enjoying her food. "You really impressed me, Ritsu. I have no idea you can cook this well." Seeing Mio's face lit up with such delight is too much for Ritsu, she couldn't take all that credit for the small tasks she did.

"Well to be honest," Ritsu said sheepishly. "The only thing I cooked is the rice and MIso soup. Everything else was from the canned food and ready-made dishes I found." Mio hold her hand movement stopping it to drop the canned sardine in her mouth. She looked over to Ritsu who's smiling nervously. It all made sense now, Mio did remember that there were no fresh sardines in the freezer, and she also remembered that her mom bought her a pre-made Nikujaga dish yesterday.

"I knew it was too good to be true," said Mio taking back her praise. Ritsu hung her head low feeling embarrassed, but despite all that Mio is still smiling. "But this is still good though," she continued. Ritsu raised her head up to the grinning Mio. "Even I wouldn't think of this."

"Well my mom likes to use ready-made dish and canned foods," Ritsu replied. "She's not really active in the kitchen. So I just do what she did."

"Like mother and daughter, you just don't like cooking that requires complex and detailed tasks," Mio shot back. Ritsu nearly choked on her miso soup glaring cold hard eyes at Mio, who laughed it off from Ritsu's expense. Ritsu joined the laughs with Mio, though she see nothing funny about comparing herself with her mother.

"This is nice, Ritsu," Mio started a new conversation. "Thanks for accompanying me tonight." Ritsu looked over at Mio's sincere smile, she couldn't help herself but to smile back at her.

"Well, I don't want you to eat alone at night," Ritsu shrugged. "So you got time for couple of episodes of that Drama?"

In honesty, Mio had plenty of time. Rather than wasting them she would prefer to continue working on her new lyrics for the band's next original song, but looking back throughout the day, and the dinner that Ritsu prepared, she really owed her friend some lost times. After all she did invite her over to accompany her, humoring her is part of the package deal.

"Yeah," Mio nodded. "I got time for a couple of episodes."

Just for that, Mio would probably have to pull an all-nighter the next day, but she didn't mind. She almost forgot how fun it is to have the company of your best friend, even if she is sometimes can be a bit of handful, she did enjoy Ritsu's company tonight. Maybe living together with her is not such a bad idea, after all, you learn something new from each other now and then.

* * *

THANKS FOR READING GUYS. SO FAR I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THIS IS LEADING, THE PROGRESS IS PRETTY SLOW BUT I WANT THINGS TO MOVE QUICK, BUT NOT TOO QUICK. IF YOU HAVE ADVICE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE (AND TO REVIEW). THANKS FOR READING.


	3. It's not a kiddy train!

Lately a lot of the authors have been updating in the fanficiton website, so I thought it's about time I do to. It is also have been to my understanding that there have been OC x K-ON girls lately in the fanfiction website. Possibly this OC is their self-inserted character, well I have one thing to say to them. DREAM ON!! Yuri is the way for a series that are filled with no dudes!!

One last thing, you guys should check out the danbooru image website, and type in "Shiratamama", he did plenty of cute mio/ritsu images

**Disclaimer: **K-ON belong to Kakifly and Kyoto Animation

**The Drummer and Her Bassist**

**Chapter ****3 – It's not a kiddy train!**

Ever since Mio invited Ritsu over for that one-time sleepover, their friendship rekindled and things have returned back to the way it was. The rest of the girls couldn't be any happier to see Ritsu and Mio getting along just like they used to. Out of curiosity, Yui wondered what the two friends did at their little fun alone time. Mio shrugged it off calling that it's just a typical night, just like when they were young (Mugi was a bit disappointed learning that it didn't go as risqué as she imagined). With that aside, the Light Music Club return to the usual routine days. But this time, with no surprise, Ritsu came up with an idea to spice up their boring routine life.

"Jubilation, comrades!" Ritsu exclaimed as she pushed the front door of the music room violently. "For I have made an exhilarating discovery!"

"Comrade Ricchan! What do you have to report?" Yui humored her friend by saluting soldier-like manner.

"If you're going to mess around, can you guys please take it outside?" Mio suggested not taking her eyes off the blank paper she was writing on. It was rare for her to do some paper work in the club room due to her two constantly loud friends, but she must make amend for her lost time.

"No, I will not!" Ritsu said putting her foot down. "Now listen, whatever you guys are planning this weekend, I want you all to cancel it!"

"What?" Mio was the first to answer. "Why?"

"Uhmm… okay," Azusa stuttered for a second feeling uncertain. "What for?"

"Are we going somewhere fun Ricchan?" Mugi asked with bright hopeful eyes.

"Yeah, yeah! Let's go to an amusement park!" Yui chirped in excitedly. The girls turned over to her feeling a sense of ludicrous of such suggestions.

"Yui-senpai," Azusa stared at her blankly. "I don't think we're actually going to…"

"Actually, we are!" Ritsu interrupted Azusa with the thumbs up pose.

"We are?"

"What?!"

"Yay!!"

"Oh, how wonderful!"

Four voices erupted at the same time, simultaneously expressing their joy and astonishment. The girls stopped waiting for one to react first of this out of the blue suggestion, Mio was the first to state her opinion.

"What do you mean we're going to an amusement park?" Mio exclaimed.

"It's exactly as I said, Mio-chan," Ritsu replied giving off the cliché smile of Fujiya Peko-chan. Mio is appalled at the sight of Ritsu's oh-so-fake cutesy smile, she turned away from her friend. For Mio is already used to with Ritsu's random antic, and she know when Ritsu's not taking things seriously. The other girls, however, are not familiar with Ritsu's characteristic.

"Oh, this is going to be so great, Ricchan!" Mugi grabbed Ritsu's hands affectionately. "I've always dreamed of going to an amusement park with my friends."

"Yay! Amusement park! Amusement park! I haven't been there in such a long time!" Yui joined in with Mugi's delight. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Ritsu-senpai! Are we really going to an amusement park this weekend?" Azusa asked with a tone of anticipation. "Are we really going? Are you serious? If you're joking than it's not funny at all you know!" Azusa may have keep a straight and serious personality in the music room, but there were times where she had given in to the temptation and let her childish personality run wild. And upon hearing this was no exception for her.

"Why would I be joking, Azusa-chan?" Ritsu patted her dear underclassman. "Of course we're going to an amusement park this weekend!"

Mio stared. She couldn't even stop, something out of all of that just seems all too ridiculous for Mio to bear. She didn't even notice that her mouth is hanging down. It's one thing to lie to her old childhood friend, but it's another to drag their other friends in it and entertain them.

"Yay!!" Yui cling herself to Azusa. "This is going to be so much fun, Azu-nyan!"

"I think so too senpai!" Azusa, for the first time, didn't mind about the random leap.

"Ritsu!" Mio approached her friend. "A word please." Mio didn't even wait for a response, she dragged Ritsu away in an earshot distance away from their band mates. "What are you doing? Don't excite them like that!"

"What?" Ritsu asked not getting the big picture. "What are you talking about?"

"You think I don't know you?" Mio asked looking rather grumpy. "I know that whole amusement park thing was just something to talk about so we don't have to practice."

"Huh?" Ritsu bewilderingly asked. "Oh my God, Mio!" Her mood turned rather aggravated. "Give me some credit will you! Do you think I would actually lie that bad until they turned like that?" Ritsu pointed to her other three friends happily chatting over the fun weekend they're looking forward to. To Mio's knowledge she knew better that Ritsu will not fake a plan that excited her friends to the point that reveal Azusa's childish nature.

"I guess not," she gave in. "Wait! So we're actually going to the amusement park?"

"Well… yeah," Ritsu shrugged. Mio lost herself into the excitement, Ritsu know that because she can see that excitement twinkled in Mio's eyes. She flung her arm over Mio's shoulder giving in to her excitement and grinned along her childhood friend. "Rejoice my comrade!" she returned to that sci-fi tone. "For this shall be the day of our gratification!"

"Hang on a sec, Ritsu," Mio pulled herself together. "What are we going to do about the tickets?" As delighted as she is to actually going to an amusement park with her friends, she needed to think realistically and financially.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Ritsu waved her index finger cockily. "You leave that to me, my dear Mio-chan."

Mio didn't like the sound of that cocky tone behind Ritsu's voice, they tend to hide the initial sinister intention of hers. Through many years of never-ending friendship with Ritsu, Mio's instinct has adjusted to memorize of Ritsu's attitudes. And it definitely worried her upon hearing her cocky reply, she knew well that there must be something she's plotting that will involve her and the other band members.

**Later that day**

And she was definitely right about that, Mio's instinct was never to lie to her. Because at this moment, all five members of the Afterschool Teatime are by their usual shopping arcade hangout waiting by the lottery corner to await their turns.

"So **this** was the 'exhilarating discovery'?" Azusa asked Ritsu.

"Right you are Azusa-chan," Ritsu nodded. "If we win the grand prize we can choose from the High-def TV or tickets to the amusement park!"

"_I got the feeling that we're aiming at the wrong prize." _Azusa kept her thought to herself.

"Ritsu," Mio grabbed Ritsu's attention. "This is how we're going to get our tickets?" It's hardly noticeable, but Ritsu can sense that hint of both annoyance and anger behind Mio's voice.

"Do you want to cough up 4,000 yen just for an entrance?" Ritsu asked her.

"Point taken," Mio nodded approvingly of the overpriced cost. "But this means that there's no one hundred percent chance that we're going to the amusement park." If Ritsu didn't know any better, she sensed a feeling of disappointment in Mio's tone. But she did, and she will do well not to let her down.

"Don't worry, Mio," Ritsu encouraged her. "We got like eight tries to nab a golden ball!"

"And that's supposed to be reassuring?" Mio wondered sarcastically.

"Ricchan! Mio-chan! We're up next!" Mugi called in for the other two friends. "Oh, this is so exciting!" Mugi pranced down to the lottery table leaving Mio and Ritsu a bewilder expression of their lady friend. As lovely as she can be, they all know that Mugi is still the mysterious one out of the five.

"Alright girls, you have eight tries," the kind host told the girls. "Who would like to go first?"

"Ooh! Me! Me! Me!" Yui waved her hand around impatiently.

"Save the excitement when we actually win those tickets," Ritsu reminded her. Yui grabbed the handle and spin the roll around listening to the balls rolling and clashing around to one and another, every time Yui made a lap over the roll, the girls hold their breath waiting to see the golden color ball to fall out of the hole. But to their dismay, a white one popped out instead.

"Awwwww!!" Yui sulk her head low. "I'm sorry Ricchan."

"You did your best, Yui-chan," Mugi assured her friend.

"Yui!" Ritsu called her sounding like a drill sergeant. "Go again!" The next spin didn't feel as excited as it was before, her last defeat really crushed her fighting spirit. But it quickly subdued every time it made through each lap, the girls begin to have faith in Yui once more. And Yui is excited as she last rolled it, unfortunately she was crushed when the white ball rolled out for the second time.

"It's okay, it's okay," Ricchan add some support to the upset Yui. "We're good! We're okay! We're fine!"

Unfortunately, things weren't fine at all, and the girls worry that the weekend they anticipated these past hour will not happen at all. Azusa failed her two turns, and Mio also failed on hers. Yui was already mumbling amusement park sadly over and over, her mourn just bring the atmosphere worse than before. It's all down to Ritsu and Mugi to draw luck on their last two turns.

"Here we go!" Ritsu spin the roll around.

"Good luck, Ricchan!" Mugi stood by wishing luck for Ritsu to draw the gold ball. Even though she watched six white balls popped out she still remain hopeful. Ritsu too believe in her luck, they're always there when she needed to pass her tests.

"Come on! Big money! Big money! Big money!" Ritsu didn't know if her chant will actually help her or not, but it did sooth the rapid beat of her heart. Too bad it didn't help her with her luck at all.

"Oh no," Mugi mumbled watching the seventh white ball rolling around the platter.

"AGH! What the hell!!" Ritsu lost her patience.

"Bad luck, miss," the kind lady host gave her condolence.

"Dammit!" Ritsu expressed her frustration. "This lottery is fixed! I'll bet you there's not even a golden ball in there!" Ritsu have never lost her temper like that, even to the fact that she would rant about. Mio kept her in line though, she smacked Ritsu's head before she could even rant further that would greatly upset the good host lady.

"I'm very sorry, miss," Mio apologized in Ritsu's behalf. "She's just a little upset, that's all." Mio dragged Ritsu away feeling embarrassed of that sudden outburst of hers. "Jeez! What's the matter with you?"

"I was frustrated," Ritsu replied feeling a lot calmer. "I'm sorry. We're never going to get that ticket now."

"We have a winner!!" The sound of the handbell ringing grabbed Ritsu's attention. It seems that the group had almost forgot that Mugi own an amazing luck.

**Few days later **

Ever since Mugi won the tickets, the rest of the weekdays seem to pass by real slow. The anticipation for the Saturday of the week is succumbing for each member of The Light Music Club for every night they sleep in, they hoped to wake up on a Saturday. And at long last, the wait is finally over, for they finally stood by the front gate of the local amusement park.

"I can't believe we're finally here," Ritsu stared at the front gate. "Those sleepless nights better paid off!"

"Ritsu-senpai, I can't believe you have trouble sleeping only because of this," Azusa felt embarrassed for her senior.

"And who was it again that napped in the train because she was too excited to sleep last night?" Ritsu countered back to Azusa causing her to look away embarrassingly.

"Come on! Come on! Let's go in! Let's go in!" Yui jumped up and down frantically. Looking at Yui begging to her friends like that is causing mixed emotions of both embarrassment and excitement. They shouldn't say though since they too are as eager as she is to enter the fun land.

After they handed their prize winning tickets to the front door, the five girls are free to roam the amusement park. There were quite a number of people running around, all aging from couples to families. The place may not be as superb as Tokyo Disneyland, but it did contain the same excitement in any amusement park. There are roller coasters, a haunted house, giant drop tower, even a Ferris wheel that show a great view of the city.

"Oh, I can't believe this," Mugi chirped in happily. "To think that I'm here with my friends, it's like a dream come true!"

"Mugi, no offense, but that is one cheap dream," Ritsu commented. She stared at the cute keyboardist, watching her strut along with Yui just bring a smile to her.

"So, what should we do first?" Mio asked looking at the park map. "Mind you, I'm not really good with roller coasters or haunted house."

"Jeez Mio!" Ritsu smirked. "If you can't do any of those why did you even bother coming?"

"Mock me all you want, I will not fall for that the second time," Mio replied looking rather confident in herself.

"The second time?" Azusa asked rather curiously.

"Yep, the last time we came here was during our middle school's class trip," Ritsu flashbacked through her early days. "I provoked Mio in front of our class so bad, she ended up doing all rides twice. But three times for the haunted house though." Ritsu giggled to herself thinking back to the last time she was here with Mio. She remembered how shaken she was when they got off the roller coaster for the second time. And how frightened Mio was on their third haunted house trip, they ended up leaving halfway due to Mio's constant scream irritated the staff members.

"Oh, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa sighed. "Hmm…" Azusa looked around for her other upperclassmen, Yui and Mugi, who both have been off-screen for a few good minutes. "Where's Mugi-senpai and Yui-senpai?" she wondered.

"Over here, Azu-nyan," Azusa heard Yui's voice. She turned over towards her voice, only to see the most embarrassing display of teenagers ever. There they were, Yui and Mugi, riding on a panda carriage that was meant for the children below ten.

"What the hell are you two doing?" It seems that even Mio is embarrassed of Yui and Mugi's portrayal. "Get off that thing, now!"

"Oh, that looks like fun," Ritsu perked in feeling interested of Yui and Mugi's panda. "Move over!"

"No!" Mio grabbed Ritsu's shirt collar. "Stay here!" Mio can look through the corner of her eyes that some people are staring at them with those disbelief eyes, some even laughed behind their breath. "You guys, get off! You're embarrassing yourselves!"

"I don't feel embarrassed," Yui answered honestly.

"Me too," Mugi smiled like a small child. Mio groaned holding onto her face irritatingly, she took a deep breath and try her luck one more time with a different tone.

"Please, get off," Mio begged in a nicer tone. She held her hands together looking like as if she's praying to them as Gods. Yui looked onto Mugi, she nodded getting the idea.

"Ok, Mio-chan," Yui answered getting off the panda carriage. She looked rather disappointed at it, while Mugi is still smiling like a happy kid.

"Thank you," said Mio bowing down a little. Out of the corner on her eye, she saw Ritsu pouted feeling a sense of loss on Mio's idea of fun. "I saw that," she gave Ritsu a jolt.

"So where do you want to go first Mio-senpai?" Azusa asked getting back to the previous topic. Mio looked back at the park map still lost on her next path. To be honest, she didn't quite mind with the roller coaster or the drop tower, but there was one ride that she always wanted to try out. She didn't get to ride it last time due to numerous reasons, she was hoping to finally get a chance to ride it this time.

"Well uhhh…" she hesitated. "How about we try out the…"

"Merry go round! Merry go round!" Yui interrupted Mio again. "I want to go on the merry go round!"

"Are you serious?" Azusa asked tiredly. "What do you want to do Mugi-senpai?"

"I would like to go on the carousel too," Mugi smiled giving in to Yui's request.

"_You have got to be kidding me!" _Azusa's mind screamed out of shock. She always expect Ritsu to follow Yui's antic, never thought that Mugi would actually follow along. Speaking of Ritsu, Azusa thought that she's strangely well-behaved today. She didn't join Yui on her panda ride (though she tries to), and she's not as wild as she's supposed to be when they set foot in the amusement park. It was as if she had already know what she would like to do first, and wanted to fulfill it before going off on a sugar run.

"Azusa," Ritsu called her underclassman. "Come here for a bit." She pulled Azusa earshot away from the other girls. "Can you do me a slightly big favor?"

"Depend on what it is first," Azusa replied wondering why they have to be a few meters away from their other friends.

"Can you accompany Yui and Mugi for a little while? I want to go take Mio somewhere fun," Ritsu requested to her. Azusa wondered on what Ritsu's idea of fun is. Knowing her impish nature, she most likely would want to drag her to the haunted house or the roller coaster just to hear her scream in terror.

"I don't know, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa felt hesitant on letting her to drag Mio on the road of terror.

"Please, Azusa," Ritsu clapped her hands together. "Last time we went here, she didn't get a chance to ride it. And I promised her that the next time we come here, that ride will be the first thing she'll go."

"What is this ride anyway?" Azusa asked wondering why Ritsu would go in full-length for. Ritsu was a little hesitant on showing off her plan to Azusa, but if she's going to get Azusa's support, she needed to know. Ritsu opened up her theme park map and point the spot, Azusa looked at her upperclassman wondering if she did point at the right spot. Because it seem to her, that ride looked a lot more embarrassing compared to Yui's panda carriage and the carousel. "Are you serious?" she asked with a slightly confused expression.

"Yep," Ritsu nodded.

"But…" Azusa was too shocked to talk. "You guys were in middle school." Azusa found this new information to be rather hard to believe.

"This is Mio we're talking about, "Ritsu replied in a monotone. "And you know what she's like."

"I guess," Azusa agreed remembering of her upperclassman's inner feeling. Speaking of inner feelings, Azusa is really surprised about Ritsu. It's hardly anything of her to remember a promise she made years ago, and take the guts to fulfill it. No matter how embarrassing this ride may be. "You really surprised me, senpai. I have no idea you would do something like this for Mio-senpai."

"Well if I would shape my head like a pineapple for Mio, I would take her to this…" Ritsu swallowed hard before finishing her sentence. "Ride," she finished her sentence feeling the itchiness crawling in her back.

Hearing Ritsu talking about her childhood memories with Mio just reminded Azusa of how much the two have been through together in their life. To be honest, she's quite jealous of the bond they've had since childhood. "OK, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa agreed to Ritsu's plan. "I'll distract Yui-senpai and Mugi-senpai for just a little while."

"Thanks," Ritsu gave her a slap on the back. "And don't tell them where we're going."

After her brief conversation with Azusa, Ritsu immediately grabbed Mio's hand and pulled her along to her destination, despite the protest that Mio is making for the sudden action. It's a good thing that Ritsu acted fast before Mugi or Yui can catch a glimpse of them running away, though as it seems that they won't notice them anyway since they're already lining up for the carousel ride. Azusa can spot them a mile away from where she is, they stand out like a sore thumb compared to the children who are lining up with them. It would take all of Azusa's hidden childish excitement if she wants to distract her two friends from finding out that Ritsu and Mio are missing.

**Back to Mio and Ritsu**

"OK, explain yourself," Mio demanded for an answer. Despite of Ritsu's quick movement, the two friends have stopped walking towards their destination when Mio socked Ritsu's head for ignoring Mio's question. Lucky for them, they are at a distance away from the carousel ride.

"It's supposed to be a surprise," Ritsu mumbled. "Can't you at least keep your hand to yourself for just two minutes?"

"Speak for yourself," Mio replied. "You're the one who just grabbed my hand out of nowhere!" Mio take a look around her surrounding, oblivious to her that her loud voice is attracting attention from the other patrons. "So what is this surprise?" Mio asked in a calm manner.

"If I tell you now, it wouldn't be a surprise would it?" Ritsu asked back. "Just trust me on this one." She extended her hand out giving Mio the choice to trust her.

Mio wasn't too sure if she should trust Ritsu on anything. The last time she did it ended up with her passed out for a good five minutes. But strangely her instincts are encouraging her to follow Ritsu. Reluctantly, Mio decided to trust her conscience and take Ritsu's hand hoping that it will turn out alright.

And was she very glad to trust it, because Ritsu has brought her to the place she always wanted to go. The famous children ride of mechanical puppets dancing and singing to that catchy tune. Mio, who had always been a fan of animals and fairy tales have always wanted to go to this ride. It has the combination of fairy tale characters and animals from all around the world singing and dancing. Mio had her eyes on this ride on her first time when she was here, but restrict herself to hide her inner secret from her classmates. But only one of them understands her, and would swallow her pride for Mio's sake.

"Well, here we are," Ritsu pointed to the sign. "Shall we go?"

"Ri-Ritsu…" Mio whispered. "How did you know?"

"Oh Mio," Ritsu scoffed. "How long do you think we've been friends for?" she asked rhetorically. Mio shrugged agreeing on that term, but more importantly she still can't believe that Ritsu, of all people, would actually bring her to a ride like this. "So are we going in or not?" she asked.

"Uhmm…" Mio hesitated. She looked over to the rather short line seeing that the other people who're lining up are no one but parents and their kids. "I don't know…" Mio's pride got the best of her. "Maybe this is a bad idea."

"Come on," Ritsu sighed. "I thought you've always wanted to ride on the kiddy train."

"It's not a kiddy train!" Mio objected angrily. "And I'm having second thoughts now." She wanted to, but at the same time she also felt that this is not right. Somehow thinking of riding the boat to the fairy tale land is just too embarrassing, even more than watching Yui and Mugi on the panda carriage.

"What? You're embarrassed?" Ritsu studied Mio's face. Her crimson red shade pretty much speaks for itself. "Don't be, I'll go with you!"

"That'll be even more embarrassing," Mio mumbled. "Two teenage girls riding on… this." Mio sighed looking at the pretty sign with the cute mascot character. As much as she wanted to, she needs to face the fact that she's not at the age where it's appropriate to get on the ride designed for children. "Let's go Ritsu, thanks for the thought though." She really appreciated of Ritsu's gesture, but not when she's lining up for the ride.

"Come on, Mio! You don't want to miss our turn!" Ritsu called out loud getting the attention of the children lining up with her.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mio whispered harshly hoping that the children didn't hear her profanity. "Get off the line!"

"But I want to go in!" Ritsu said enthusiastically while scratching her back uncomfortably. "Why don't you come with me? You're not going to let me ride it all by myself are you?" Mio probably would, but she wouldn't embarrass her friend like that. To save the humiliation of Ritsu, Mio had no choice but to jump in and line up with her. "There you go. See, you just need a slight push."

Mio can see that it's not too late for her to jump out of the line, the exit is just right around the corner. But her feet refuse to move, and Ritsu is grabbing one of her hand, that pretty much seals her movement. Not long after the painful, and embarrassing wait, they have finally sat down on their boat ready to enter the tunnel of fairy tale and excitement. Mio wondered why she's on the boat, she would thought that after the weird glance the staff gave her, she would pull out immediately. But yet here she is, ready to enter the ride she's been wanting to since her preteen years. If it wasn't for Ritsu, she would make another excuse just like last time, and there definitely won't be a next time for her.

"Thanks, Ritsu."

"Hmm…?" Ritsu asked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I said thanks," she repeated sounding more sincere. "Thanks for doing this for me." Her words are short, but the meaning behind it was huge. Mio felt very grateful for what Ritsu had done for her. It may just be a ride, but to her, it's a sign of support.

"No problem," Ritsu twitched again. Her itch is getting stronger and stronger. "You owe me big time for this though."

* * *

WELL, LET'S STOP THERE FOR NOW. ANYWAY, THINGS HAVE BEEN PROGRESSING REAL SLOW IN THIS FANFIC. SO STARTING NEXT CHAPTER, I'M GOING LONG AND WILL DECIDE TO PUT IN THE FIRST CONFLICT OF THE STORY. RIVALS. STAY TUNE AND THANKS FOR READING AND BEING PATIENT ABOUT THIS.


	4. Men are animals!

This chapter's update would be out sooner even if it weren't for that meddling Nintendo! Why do they have to make Pokémon and Fire Emblem so addicting?

**Disclaimer: **K-ON belong to Kakifly and Kyoto Animation

**The Drummer and Her Bassist**

**Chapter**** 4 – Men are**** animals!**

"Dad, how old were you when you met mom?"

Mr. Tainaka looked up from his dinner plate and towards Satoshi, taken back by his son's question. Mrs. Tainaka followed her husband's movement as well, also feeling curious of her son's out of the blue question. And as for Ritsu, well let's just say that she's too focused on her dinner.

"I'm sorry, what?" Mr. Tainaka asked.

"How old were you when you met mom?" Satoshi repeated saying one word at a time in a slower motion.

"What's with the sudden question?" Mrs. Tainaka asked feeling offended for her husband. "You should know better but not to pry into other people's personal life."

"Geez, Mom! It's not like we're asking for dad's monthly salary," Ritsu remarked talking on her brother's side of defense.

"Hush up, dear!"

"Okay, okay," Mr. Tainaka said interrupting the mother-daughter argument. "Settle down." Ritsu and her mother stopped glaring at each other and returned back to their meal feeling annoyed of the unfinished business they've set aside. "I met your mother back in high school, you can say we were high school sweethearts." Mr. Tainaka felt a little shy saying the final bit.

"No need for that last information, dad," Ritsu commented.

"Why do you ask, son?" Mr. Tainaka asked curiously. For almost over ten years with their children, this may be the first time one of them ever asked of their past life.

"Hang on, I'm getting to that," said Satoshi putting down his chopsticks. "So you know mom since high school, that was like what fifteen? Or seventeen?"

"Well, actually…"

"Technically, your father and I know each other since we're in high school," Mrs. Tainaka told the story in her husband's behalf. "But we started dating when we're in college, and when I reached twenty-five your father proposed to me."

"That's basically it," Mr. Tainaka pointed it out to his wife. Satoshi is satisfied with the answer, he returned to eat his mother's cooking, but Ritsu still feel that there's more of his question.

"What's with the question? You're writing a report or something?" Ritsu asked wondering what's with the topic of their parents' love life.

"Well uh…" Satoshi shifted uncomfortably. "I was just wondering, that's all." Satoshi returned to eat his dinner, but that uncertainty tone in his voice left Ritsu with an unconvinced feeling. Generally being the elder sister, she shows no chance of letting this topic go, for this may be something for her to invade her brother's privacy.

"Spit it out, little bro!" Ritsu took action. "There's something you're not telling us! And I demand for answers now!"

"Forget it! I'm not telling you anything!" Satoshi replied with that same enthusiasm from her sister's voice.

"Oh ho! So you are hiding something!" Ritsu pointed accusingly to her brother. Satoshi cursed his choice of words and slapped his head foolishly, he should know better that he cannot outsmarted his mischievous older sister. "Come on, Satoshi-kun," said Ritsu using her best luring voice. "Tell your onee-chan about it."

"Now, Ritsu," Mr. Tainaka lectured his daughter. "You should know better but not to pry into your own brother's privacy."

"Tell that to Mom," Ritsu pointed at her mother with the chopsticks she was holding. "I saw her digging through my room as if I was hiding drugs or something."

"I'm a parent, I have every right!" Mrs. Tainaka defended herself. "And I wasn't looking through your stuff, I was cleaning your room!" Ritsu rolled her eyes and smirked not believing her mother's words for a second. Mrs. Tainaka gave up reasoning with her daughter and left the kitchen carrying her dirty dishes with her, leaving behind an irritated grumble that most likely will cost her some stress and a few strands of white hair.

"Anyway," Ritsu returned to her brother. "What are you hiding from your onee-chan, Satoshi-kun?" Ritsu moved her face closer to her brother, giving him a sense of discomfort. He tried to move away, but she just keep getting new ways to get to him. It won't be long till he cracked down, and Ritsu's definitely not the type to back down when she's close to get what she wants. "Come on! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

"Go away, nee-chan! You're starting to piss me off!" Satoshi waving his hands at her like trying to get rid off a fly.

"Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

"Go away, dammit!"

Mr. Tainaka chuckled at the sight of his two children bickering over such trivial matters. This kind of behavior would irritate his wife greatly, but for someone as nonchalant as Mr. Tainaka, it's a delight to see his children getting along well.

Back at the siblings bickering, Ritsu seems to have the upper hand as she delivered the final strike to crack his brother's nerve. "Tell me now, or I'll tell on mom about your dirty magaz…"

"There's this girl I like in school and I was just wondering when I should ask her out!" Satoshi snapped feeling embarrassed for revealing his secret out loud in front of his family. "There! Happy now?" he added avoiding his family's stare. Even Mrs. Tainaka sticks her head out from the kitchen to stare at her son's wild confession.

"You have a crush?" Ritsu asked in bewilderment over this new found information.

"Yes I do," Satoshi whipped back to his sister. "And I was just using mom and dad's marriage as a reference to find out when's the perfect time I should ask her out. And based on what I've learned, I guess the perfect time would be college."

"Son," Mr Tainaka approached his son and hold his shoulder's warmly. "As happy as I am for you, I don't think you should use other people's marriage as an example for your love life."

"Dad's got a point," Ritsu supported her father's opinion. "I know this kid back in middle school who wanted to follow his parents' love life; he quickly changed his mind when he found out that he's an accidental child." Satoshi cringed at the mention of that, his father nodded along agreeing with Ritsu's point. But for Mrs. Tainaka, however, she has another theory.

"As much as I agreed with your father, and your sister," Mrs. Tainaka said the last two words with moderate difficulty. "You shouldn't rush into a relationship, or put it on hold for long. You don't want to end up like your sister's school friend, or your forty-year old single aunt. Or in this case, your own sister." Mrs. Tainaka may have whispered the last few words under her breath, but it was audible enough for Ritsu to catch.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ritsu asked feeling insulted.

"Oh let's face it, dear," said Mrs. Tainaka in a familiar tone of her daughter's. "When was the last time you show any interest on boys?" Mrs. Tainaka is a full-time housewife, and part of being in home all the time allows her to know the things her children talk about.

"Is this what it's all about?" Ritsu asked feeling offended. "Well be glad that I'm not one of those girls who go off smooching off like a whore!" Mrs. Tainaka readies herself for another comeback, but gave up when she realized that her daughter got her cornered.

"She has a point dear," Mr. Tainaka showed her some condolence. "We should be glad how well our kids turned out to be. One of my co-worker isn't so lucky with his two daughters." Mrs. Tainaka had to agree with that, her two kids can be a handful but at least they're not delinquent.

"I guess," Mrs. Tainaka sighed. "But still, it wouldn't hurt."

"I go to an all-girl school!" Ritsu stressed out the word 'girl' to show her trapped state from associating with boys. "What do you want me to do?" Ritsu never really show much interest in boys, though back in elementary school she enjoyed playing sports with them. That all changed when she befriend with Mio, who during that time create some sort of phobia to the opposite sex. Ever since then, Ritsu had been around Mio and other girls, hardly with the boys she used to play with.

"Honey, I'm just worried," Mrs. Tainaka tried to talk some sense into her daughter. "That's all. Remember, no rush." Mrs. Tainaka didn't look like she's satisfied with that, and the family can see that there's more she wanted to say. But at the same time, she didn't want to sound hypocritical to her previous comments. "But do remember that I got married when I was twenty-five, so maybe you should keep that in mind."

"Mom! Twenty-five back then is like twenty-eight now!" Ritsu expressed the 'truth' fact based on her intuition with no statistical data proof. "I have plenty of time!" Mrs. Tainaka can't stop but to glare at her daughter disapprovingly.

**Next day at school**

"Hey Mio," Ritsu poked Mio's back with her pencil. "Can I talk to you for a bit?" Mio didn't response Ritsu with words but more of a glare and a point to her front outlook indicating of a teacher still in his teaching session. Nevertheless, Ritsu didn't get her message well and continue on anyway. "So anyway, during dinner last night…"

"Ritsu!" Mio whispered harshly. "We're still in the middle of class, can it wait?"

"No! Anyway, about dinner last night…"

"Shut up, you idiot!"

"Akiyama-san!" the teacher boomed his mighty loud voice. Mio instantly turned around to her teacher while others turned to her to view her embarrassment. "Is there any particular reason why you raised your voice like that?"

"No, sensei," she replied instantly. "And just to be clear, I wasn't talking about you either." The class giggled silently over her reply while the teacher rolled his eyes irritatingly and turned back to the blackboard.

"Just don't do it again," he said returning to write down the notes on the blackboard. Mio sat back down glad to be off the center of the class. She usually would be flushing up after called up by the teacher like that, but due to her shares of singing up on stage must've toughened up her stage fright. Mio shot a glare back at her best friend who is among the other girls who giggled at Mio's embarrassment.

"That goes for you too, Tainaka-san! Pay attention, and you might do well on the next test." Mio can safely and resume studying, knowing that Ritsu would finally shuts up for the rest of the lecture.

Not long after Ritsu and Mio's fiasco, the bell rang indicating that it's time for after school club activities, or to return to respective household. But for two friends, Mio and Ritsu, they made their way to the music room to meet with their fellow band mates and discuss of anything to come through their mind while snacking on delicious sweets. And if there's enough time, perhaps some practice will be in order.

"So what is that thing you wanted to talk about during math class?" Mio asked remembering of Ritsu's earlier antic that got her into trouble.

"Huh? What?" Ritsu asked obliviously. But after looking at the angry Mio narrowing her eyes like that made Ritsu remember the dinner conversation she had with her family. "Oh right, I remember now," Ritsu smiled sheepishly. "How old do you want to get married?"

It could be either there's an invisible rock below Mio's feet that made her stumbling on her feet nearly tripping down on her face, or that Ritsu's question taken her by surprise she nearly tripped over from it. "Wh-wh-what?" she shrieked from the almost crowded hallway.

"How old do you want to get married?" Ritsu asked again in a louder and firmer tone.

"Shut up! I heard you the first time!" Mio raised an even louder tone than Ritsu. She looked around her and noticed that some of the girls who are still around the campus are staring at the two, some wondering if the two are talking about their relationship. Considering of this school's situation and how open the new society is, it is a valid observation.

"Let's talk somewhere else!" Mio grabbed Ritsu's hand and drag her away from the watching crowds, though her gesture can be misinterpreted as an act of affection. Later, the two friends have finally avoided the crowd and found a place to talk in peace without any of the watchful eyes looking at them. Strangely some of them share the same look that Mugi sometimes posses. And even stranger, the two girls somehow end up in the empty Music Room without the presence of the other band members.

"You're quite bold, aren't you Mio-chan?" Ritsu asked with a somehow sensual tone. "Dragging me into an empty room like that."

"Knock it off, Ritsu!" Mio snapped embarrassingly. "What's with that marriage question?"

Ritsu then explain of the dinner conversation she had with her family on the night before, sharing everything to Mio not skipping any details out. As usual, Mio listened with a half-interest to Ritsu's rambling, she's actually more interested in Ritsu for bringing this subject up. For many years of Ritsu's repeat of dinner conversation with her family, the only ones that she ever brought it up to Mio is either about music, a fight between superheroes, drugs and alcohol issues and sometimes about bitching of their parents. Never about love or marriage.

"So then, I told her that twenty-five back then is like twenty-eight now," Ritsu rambled on of her last night's dinner conversation. "But I got a feeling that she's not properly convinced! So that's why I'm asking everyone to prove that I'm right, starting with you." She finished her sentence with a point to her best friend. "So… how old do you want to get married?"

Mio sighed and rubbed her forehead patiently. Here she thought that there's something odd about Ritsu for asking such absurd question, but as it turned out, she's just having a normal argument with her mother. "Well, it depends," Mio humored Ritsu. "Some people get married at an early age because of a sudden pregnancy…"

"Like Takahama from middle school," Ritsu added in.

"Yeah, like Takahama," Mio agreed with a quiet chuckle. "But seriously, are we talking about marriage with the idea of starting a family? Or just a marriage because of love of two people? Or to help one so that they won't deport to their home country?"

"Don't complicate things, Mio," Ritsu replied as she sit on one of the chair. "When I mean marriage, I'm talking about love and family. Nothing else!" It may seem hard to believe, but Mio know that Ritsu is an old-fashioned family-oriented type of person. What to expect from a girl who was raised by a happy couple in a family-loving surrounding.

"Well…" Mio thought over of Ritsu's question. "I don't know actually."

"You don't know?" Ritsu asked perking up to the topic. "How come?"

"I don't know, Ritsu," Mio sat down on one of the chair next to her. "I've never been in love or in a relationship before, so I can't just decide when I want to get married with a number." Ritsu can't help with herself but just snicker at Mio's comment of marriage, Mio response back to Ritsu with a look that pretty much silence her up. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," Ritsu replied with a sly tone. "It's just that… well what you said was kind of funny."

"Oh, shut up!" Mio embarrassingly looked away. Ritsu chuckled again and lift her feet up on the table positioning herself to more of a comfortable pose.

"Love. Relationship. Huh…" Ritsu repeated Mio's words. "Hey, maybe it's about time we should get one ourselves."

"Wh-what?" Mio turned towards Ritsu with full attention. She smirked over Mio's eagerness and gave her that sincere smile she recognized so much. Ritsu sounded quite serious over that suggestion. "Wait. You mean like get a… boyfriend?"

"Yeah!" Ritsu nodded. "Or a girlfriend, you know whichever you prefer." Ritsu's last few words made Mio to stumble on her own chair, the thought of two people of the same gender really surprised her.

"Don't even joke about that!" she angrily and embarrassingly exclaimed at the snickering girl. Mio is really surprised on how Ritsu can always know how to push her nerve.

"I'm not joking," Ritsu's words bring Mio to another full attention. "I'm serious. Let's start looking for that special someone." Mio's used to with Ritsu making such ludicrous remark, most of the time she wasn't serious about it nor Mio took it seriously either. But to Mio's horror, she can see clear as day that Ritsu is quite serious about this suggestion.

**That night at Mio's**

"She wasn't kidding, she was serious!"

"…Really?"

"Yes!" Mio flop her head down on her pillow. "How am I supposed to respond to that?"

"How **did** you respond to that?"

"I…uh… I can't remember," Mio admitted embarrassingly. "I must've passed out. Because the next thing I know, I was on the couch and my head felt kind of funny."

"Ricchan did say you tipped off your chair. You can be so clumsy sometimes, Mio-chan" Mio can hear Mugi's giggle following with the sentence. Oh how she wished Ritsu would giggle cutely like Mugi instead of laughing her head off. "By the way, Mio-chan. How come you talk about this to me now instead of earlier while we're still in the music room?"

"I don't want Ritsu to listen in, and you know what she is like," Mio admitted. "And also… I don't know if I'm ready."

"To get a boyfriend?"

"…Yes," Mio shyly replied. Just the thought of itself is flushing her as it is, she can't imagine how she would be if she actually did meet someone.

"I think you're overreacting Mio-chan." Mio recoiled over Mugi's response, this wasn't the first time for Mugi to reply over a hidden thought. It's as if she's an esper or some sort. "Men are not that bad."

"Mugi! Are you kidding me? Men are animals!" Mio didn't know why she said that, truly she doesn't have any proof to actually support her statement.

"Mio-chan, I am sure there's the right guy out there who is just perfect for you. For now, just hang in there." Mio's mouth flickered to a smile upon hearing Mugi's support. The once quiet girl, who hardly opened to another, is very grateful to know that there are people who are willing to hear her problems. And to get an honest and normal response is a relive for her too.

"Thanks, Mugi."

"No problem, Mio-chan. Although to be honest I am a little disappointed of this new revelation."

"Disappointed? Of what?"

"Oh nothing," Mugi giggled quietly. "It's just that, I've always thought you and Ricchan… how should I put this… swing the other way." Upon hearing this, Mio's warm smile quickly flipped upside down turning it over to an awkward frown. If there's one thing that Mio would never understand of Mugi, would be her imagination.

"And you know… with each other," Mugi finished off. Mio would not want to listen any more of this, there is a limit to her imagination and the border line to her weak mentality. She has to remind herself to apologize to Mugi on the next day for hanging up on her.

**Next day after school**

Today marked quite of an uneventful day on Mio's life. First, Ritsu would not leave her alone from yesterday's subject. She thought that by the next day Ritsu would forget of the whole boyfriend conversation, just like how she forget everything in life. And the second, after school club activity is cancelled since the other members have decide to leave early due to other personal matters. Mio thought that she can finally start to play Elizabeth again since she's been putting aside her music activities lately. And third, well, she's walking back home alone. Without Ritsu.

"_I can't believe things really feel different when she's not around," _Mio thought to herself. Based on what she remembered, Ritsu was always her company towards school and coming back from it. Without her around, she somehow feel lonely.

"_What the hell am I thinking?" _Mio feels appalled from this. She's like a baby who needs their mommy to hold her hand all the time.

"Ah, Mio. Is that you?"

Mio turned around to her back, hoping to meet a certain someone she knows very well and since childhood. But she's met face-to-face with an unfamiliar girl wearing a different uniform than hers.

"Mio-chan! It is you!" she smiled in delight. "It's been a while."

"Do I know you?" Mio asked directly not noticing her ignorant tone.

"It has been a while," she continued to smile. "It's me, Maki-chan. From middle school."

That's when memories are floating through Mio's mind, coming in from the deep depth of her brain racking out her times at middle school. With Ritsu, and the few more girls who was in the group of friends.

"Maki-chan! Oh my God! It's been a while!" Mio changed her tone immediately into her soft voice. "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you."

"Well, my hair was shorter back then," she raked through her long hair. "Yours was always nice and long."

"Uhh… yes, your hair," Mio shifted her eyes nervously. "That was it. That's how I didn't recognize you."

"So how are you, Mio-chan?" Maki asked curiously. "What's Sakuragaoka High like? And how's Ricchan?"

Maki continued to keep asking Mio of her life after middle school, ever since their circle of friends grew apart. Mio remembered how kind and fun Maki was to be around with, if not Ritsu, she would be spending her time with Maki. Mio wondered why she didn't bother to contact her old friends and recreate their friendship back together. She should be doing so, but somehow out of all her other friends in middle school, the one she wanted to contact is only Maki.

"Oy, Maki!"

Maki stopped talking to Mio and turned around to her back, there stood a boy who seems to be wearing a similar uniform to Maki's, except more suited for the men of course. Mio did not recognize this boy, not immediately, but she have seen this boy somewhere.

"What's with you leaving me like that?" he asked Maki sounding a bit angry.

"Ah sorry, it's just that I saw Mio and…" she stopped turning over to Mio. "Ah, sorry," she smiled to her. "Mio-chan, you remember my big brother, Taichi."

Seeing that boy made Mio remembered everything now. It came very clear to her motive on everything from her conversation with Mugi to why she lost contact with Maki and never thought of coming back to her.

"And onii-chan," she turned to her brother. "You remember my friend, Mio. She's the girl who had the crush on you back in middle school."

* * *

YOU GUYS REMEMBER MAKI RIGHT? FROM THE OVA. ANYWAY, I WAS THINKING OF HER TO BE THE 'RIVAL', WHEN I GET THIS IDEA... HOW ABOUT IF IT'S A BOY INSTEAD? LOL. ANYWAY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK. THANKS...


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